'Largest facilitator of child porn on the planet' could be released without proper paperwork

Eric Eoin Marques could described by an FBI agent as the “largest facilitator of child porn on the planet” could be released without proper paperworkAlamy

The United States authorities are seeking the extradition of a 28-year-old Irishman, who an FBI special agent described as “the largest facilitator of child porn on the planet.” However, a Dublin High Court judge has warned that time is “running out.”
Eric Eoin Marques appeared before Justice Paul McDermott at the High Court on Thursday. He will now be remanded in custody until next Thursday (August 15) until the full request for his extradition has been received.

According to the BBC's report Judge McDermott warned the attorney general's office that time was "running out."

He said, "If at that juncture a formal request for extradition is not received and not certified by the minister, Mr Marques will be released."

Marques, an Irish and US citizen, was arrested on a provisional warrant on charges of distributing and promoting child pornography on the internet, the Irish Times reports.

The US authorities are seeking to extradite him on four charges. If found guilty he could face 30 years in prison. The pornography images in question are described as being “extremely violent, graphic and depicting the rape and torture of prepubescent children.”

Marques was arrested following a yearlong investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Irish police.

The accused, with an address at Mountjoy Square, in Dublin, was denied bail until the extradition request has been determined. Marques is considered a flight risk due to the large amounts of money which had passed through his bank accounts. A search of his computer also found that he had made inquiries about how to get a visa and enter Russia. He told the court he had been researching this topic only due to a curiosity about the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

He had no previous convictions and has never come to the attention of the authorities before.

Marques was born in the United States and have lived in Ireland since he was five. His father is Brazilian and his mother Irish. He has visited Romania a few times and has friends and an ex girlfriend there who are helping him out financially. The court heard that while he was visiting Romania a few weeks ago he withdrew $8,000 on a credit card to help a friend start a business.